Rockaway Town Council looking at ordinance to change retail hours

Neighbor News (Denville Edition)

At its meeting on Tuesday, April 8, the Rockaway Township Council introduced an ordinance (No. 0-12-10) that will effect retail store hours. If adopted at the meeting on Tuesday, April 22, the ordinance will prohibit businesses engaged in retail sales from being open before 8 a.m. and after 9:30 p.m. on any day.

This will not apply to: businesses primarily engaged in selling food and related items; restaurants and caterers; liquor stores, bars, and package goods stores; drug stores and other businesses related to health; barbershops and hair salons; gas stations, auto sales and service businesses and towing services; licensed service and repair businesses; and theaters.

According to the ordinance, the Township Council received "evidence demonstrating the significant volume of police and other public safety service responses generated, or arising, from the operation of retail sales businesses within the township. The demands placed on the public safety services by certain retail sales businesses, particularly as a result of extended hours of operations, threaten the ability of Rockaway Township to provide sufficient and comprehensive public safety services throughout the municipality and place citizens at risk."

The extended hours of operations referred to here were primarily those of stores at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall during the holiday season.

This ordinance would amend Chapter 4, Police Regulations, sub section 4-2 "reserved" of the revised general ordinances of the Township of Rockaway.

Since Jan. 1, Rockaway Township Police have not been assigned specifically to provide security for the Townsquare Mall after mall management could not reach an agreement with the town over changes that management wanted. Mall management wanted to drop the number of police officers who patrol the mall from four to two, with the option of eliminating one after giving the town three months' notice. Instead, there are no police officers assigned there but they do respond to calls.

Rockaway Town Council looking at ordinance to change retail hours

Neighbor News (Denville Edition)

At its meeting on Tuesday, April 8, the Rockaway Township Council introduced an ordinance (No. 0-12-10) that will effect retail store hours. If adopted at the meeting on Tuesday, April 22, the ordinance will prohibit businesses engaged in retail sales from being open before 8 a.m. and after 9:30 p.m. on any day.

This will not apply to: businesses primarily engaged in selling food and related items; restaurants and caterers; liquor stores, bars, and package goods stores; drug stores and other businesses related to health; barbershops and hair salons; gas stations, auto sales and service businesses and towing services; licensed service and repair businesses; and theaters.

According to the ordinance, the Township Council received "evidence demonstrating the significant volume of police and other public safety service responses generated, or arising, from the operation of retail sales businesses within the township. The demands placed on the public safety services by certain retail sales businesses, particularly as a result of extended hours of operations, threaten the ability of Rockaway Township to provide sufficient and comprehensive public safety services throughout the municipality and place citizens at risk."

The extended hours of operations referred to here were primarily those of stores at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall during the holiday season.

This ordinance would amend Chapter 4, Police Regulations, sub section 4-2 "reserved" of the revised general ordinances of the Township of Rockaway.

Since Jan. 1, Rockaway Township Police have not been assigned specifically to provide security for the Townsquare Mall after mall management could not reach an agreement with the town over changes that management wanted. Mall management wanted to drop the number of police officers who patrol the mall from four to two, with the option of eliminating one after giving the town three months' notice. Instead, there are no police officers assigned there but they do respond to calls.